Sentinel Colorado 10.30.2025 by Sentinel Colorado

THE GREAT COLORADO DIVIDE

Colorado residents are far apart in their opinions of the Trump administration’s handling of immigration policy

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Govt. shut down and economic reality is eating away at local food banks

My goodness, what a difference one year makes.

It was just this time last October that Donald Trump and his legion of fellow Republicans were insisting that Trump and the MAGA machine were the true party of the poor and struggling American workers, and that another Trump term would be their salvation.

We will “fight with every measure of our strength and with every ounce of our energy to lift up the working men and working women of America,” Trump said when he broke wind in 2022 about his 2024 presidential campaign. “Starting on day one, we will end inflation and make America affordable again.” Uh huh.

Instead, Trump has unleashed a tsunami of tariff-taxes that will make already unaffordable prices for things that everyday people need every day even more unaffordable.

That nightmare has only begun.

Banging at the door right now is the Trumpster Triumph of killing off health insurance marketplace tax credits, which, we found out yesterday, means that those who have jobs that don’t offer insurance, and for those millions of people who work for themselves, insurance premiums will double next year.

That was all thanks to Trump and the Republican Congress’ “Big Beautiful Bill,” and it’s what inspired even tepid Democrats to shut down the government until the GOP relents.

But, but, but the stock market is thriving. All of that, however, was just a warm-up for what Trump has done now. With the government shut down, Trump has chosen to halt funding for the nation’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP, which is pretty much what we used to all refer to as food stamps.

In a historically-bad moment of MAGA madness, Team Trumpster will cut off the food supply to about 1 in 8 people. That’s like 40 million Americans — not undocumented immigrants — many of whom are already barely eking out a living in deep red cities and states.

Happy Holidays, America, from the man who brought you, “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”

Welcome to “anything” in 2025.

So the part of America that works harder and longer than just about anyone, for the least amount of money, in a world where a one-bedroom apartment eats up about half a paycheck, will see health insurance premiums double and that couple hundred bucks of food assistance every month evaporate.

Now add in about 50,000 federal workers in Colorado working without pay because of the government shutdown. That includes all those must-work-without-a-paycheck TSA agents at DIA making a whopping $34,454 a year.

Raise your hand if you didn’t see this coming and want to cast your presidential ballot for a different candidate.

While millions are anxious to offer some serious “I told you so’s” and find a way to stop the insanity, the adults in the room are pointing out that we have a serious problem, and we need to focus on addressing it.

“It’s a crisis in a crisis,” said Joanna Wise, spokesperson for the Food Bank of the Rockies. The nearly 50-year-old program is part of Feeding America, a network of about 200 food banks that receive some federal assistance to work with food providers and farmers to distribute millions of tons of food to pantries and other mechanisms to help get groceries to people.

“Even before the government shutdown, food banks and our network of hunger relief partners across the entire state of Colorado have already been responding to record-high levels of need,” Wise said. “The level of food insecurity right now

is higher than it’s been in the past 10 years.”

All kinds of things have led to that problem, Wise said, but just the relentless cost of housing, gas and food has made even getting by a massive challenge for hundreds of thousands of people in Aurora and across Colorado.

While commitments from Gov. Jared Polis and other state officials to pour as much as $10 million into the food-assistance system will be essential, it’s not enough and it’s not sustainable.

“If SNAP benefits aren’t distributed, it’s about $120 million worth of benefits that will not make it out to individuals and families across our state,” Wise said.

All this comes at a time when food banks and pantries were already feeling pressure from people in need and a squeeze on resources.

“Earlier this year, we saw about a 7% reduction in our overall food volume,” Wise said. “That’s about 14,000 fewer meals that we were able to provide.”

Already, a bigger wave has washed in.

“In one day, the Aurora Corps averages 71 food boxes out the door,” said Aurora Salvation Army spokesperson Jennifer Forker. “Yesterday they handed out 138, which is a 94% increase.”

She said that of the new surge of people seeking food, 40% of the families who came in were “first timers to the food pantry.”

Deacon Bob Uphoff, director of Friends of St. Andrew, part of the Queen of Peace Catholic Parish in Aurora, said the recent increased need has nearly been explosive.

“Requests for food baskets have nearly doubled in the last two weeks,” Uphoff said. “We’ve had to turn away guests due to volume limits.”

Food pantry organizers are starting to panic, realizing this is only going in one direction right now, and running out of food is a real possibility if the community doesn’t offer to help.

Ishaq Khan, who helps run the non-profitbased Ansar Pantry said last Saturday had him nearly in tears as a new surge of people came in, anguished and scared.

“It is a very desperate situation,” Khan said. “There were women crying that came for the food.”

He said the usual crowd of about 500 in a day was pushing 900 last week.

“We’re seeing families who have never needed help before,” said Ryan Specht, Manager of Emergency Services at Catholic Charities. “There’s a real sense of worry right now. Even though SNAP benefits haven’t stopped, many are concerned they soon could, and they’re acting proactively to ensure their families are cared for.”

At Catholic Charities Little Flower Assistance Center in Aurora, staff there have also seen a spike in people looking for help. Last week, the center served more than 1,000 people, about 200 more than usual, Specht said.

The helpers desperately need help.

When you’re done reading this, go into the kitchen, collect all the boxes of mac-n-cheese, cans of beans and unopened boxes of cereal you know you can offer up and get them to a food pantry near you that wants and needs them. There’s a list at the bottom of this column with details for some Aurora sites. Some pantries can even take fresh or frozen meats and other groceries.

Khan asked any kind of store, grocer or restaurant to not throw food away. “We’ll even come get it.”

Or — and if you can, make that “and” — get out your credit card and pony up even a few dollars so food banks can get what your neighbors desperately need, and at a far lower cost than what you pay.

“Right now, we are relying on community support more than ever,” Wise said. “The best way people can help is by donating monetarily. Because of our partnerships with manufacturers and farmers, we can stretch every dollar much further — sometimes paying 77% less for certain fruits and vegetables than what you’d pay at the grocery store.”

I’m going to talk my family into steering clear of the restaurants for a few weeks and using that money to help with breakfast or dinner for someone else around here who can’t do that right now.

You should, too.

We can argue about Trump during the next impeachment, but people gotta eat now.

How to donate to Aurora area food banks and pantries:

• The Little Flower Assistance Center urgently needs donations of: Meat, milk, fruits and vegetables, rice, potatoes, beans, cheese, canned and frozen foods. Sorry, no soda, chips or candy. Donations of nonperishable food items, personal care supplies, or financial gifts are gratefully accepted Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m at 11149 E. 14th Ave. and at ccdenver.org/donate.

• Friends of St. Andrews are asking readers to send checks to Friends of St. Andrew, 1525 Dallas St., Aurora, CO 80010. “We are establishing an account at ColoradoGives.org and hope to have it activated by mid-November.”

• Food Bank of the Rockies can purchase three meals for every $1 you donate. Go to https://www. foodbankrockies.org/ and click on “donate.”

• The Salvation Army corps of Aurora needs cash to help buy and distribute food. Go to https://aurora. salvationarmy.org/aurora_corps/ and click on donate.

• Ansar Food Pantry, 116251 E Colfax Ave. No. 208 in Aurora. Donate at this link: https://tinyurl. com/35r3xxyu

Follow @EditorDavePerry on BlueSky, Threads, Mastodon, Twitter and Facebook or reach him at 303-750-7555 or dperry@SentinelColorado.com

DAVE PERRY Editor

In the back of Friends of St. Andrews food pantry in Aurora. SENTINEL FILE PHOTO

Aurora youth violence prevention program promising,

but funding is a worry, city o cials say

“I’M

GETTING CALLS ALL THE TIME FROM PARENTS THAT ARE DEALING WITH VIOLENCE IN AURORA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND CHERRY CREEK PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT” – COUNCILMEMBER DANILLE JURINSKY

Acity project focusing on reducing youth violence in the city is showing success, but city lawmakers are looking to possibly cut some of the program’s funding.

“What we’re seeing is this program is working,” said Jessica Prosser, director of the city’s housing and community services for the City of Aurora.

The program allocates 1% of marijuana sales tax to fund community service agencies and programs directly related to youth violence prevention to reduce youth violence. The money goes toward funding a variety of local anti-violence programs run by non-profit agencies and Aurora’s two school districts.

City council members saw a presentation on the program’s progress during the study session on Monday. They were asked to extend the sunset clause for the marijuana fund to continue supporting the program for the next five years.

Aurora’s Youth Violence Prevention Program was established in 2021 and initially focused on building coalitions, breaking down service silos and supporting community-based organizations in engaging youth in services, according to staff information.

In September 2023, the program evolved to concentrate its efforts on the city’s focused deterrence strategy, Aurora SAVE. Now, the program channels the funding into community service agencies focused on preventing youth violence, offering case management, therapy, mentorship and job training to atrisk youth and families.

“The overarching goal of Aurora SAVE is to ensure that individuals in our community who are at risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of gun violence remain alive, safe, and free from incarceration,” staff information said.

Data presented to the city council showed that gun-related fatalities and injuries have

steadily dropped since the program’s launch. Fatal shootings fell from 32 in 2023 to 18 so far in 2025, while non-fatal shootings dropped from 133 to 42.

About 49% of participants have accepted some level of service through SAVE partners, according to staff.

“We’ve done 265 notifications and 185 accepted services, or about 49% acceptance rate, which is good for a program where we’re offering services, and they’re staying engaged, and they’re not reoffending,” Prosser said.

The different organizations the city works with include:

• JusticeWorks Youth Care is where members of the youth brought into the justice system receive their initial assessment to develop an appropriate case management plan. They also receive an outcomes-focused case management for the individual and family.

• Hazelbrook Community Center, which provides substance abuse services, prosocial activities such as boxing and fitness, and mentorship that focuses on recovery.

• The Road Called STRATE and STRATE Teen Talks, which are psychoeducational groups for youth, provide mental health screenings and workforce development.

• Struggle of Love Foundation, which provides violence-intervention and interruption, a 24-hour SAVE hotline and resource navigation.

• Life-Line Colorado, which provides violence interruption and incident response and follow-up resources and services

City staff said the collaboration between law enforcement and service providers has led to more proactive outreach and fewer retaliatory shootings.

“They’re all a little bit different with mental health, therapy, violence interruption, workforce development, those types of things, and

those are the only ones we’re working with now, rather than having a myriad of 12 to 20,” Prosser said.

If the funding continues, SAVE will expand to include critical incident response for real-time violence interruption and prevention of retaliatory incidents. It will also streamline case management and resource navigation services for SAVE candidates and their families, and conduct data and program evaluation to understand intervention effects, according to staff information.

Council members Françoise Bergan, Danielle Jurinsky and Stephany Hancock all had different issues with budgeting aspects of the program.

Bergan said she thought there was a lot of overlap and that the city didn’t need to spend so much on city employees who might duplicate the programs they are working with. She also had issues with paying the University of Colorado for data research and evaluation, thinking that someone internally might have already conducted the same data. Hancock said she thought the city was spending too much money on the small number of students it was serving. Jurinsky did not like how much money was being given to the local school districts.

Aurora Public Schools, Cherry Creek School District and the Juvenile Assessment Center each receive $50,000, which costs the city $150,000 in total. Overall, the city spends approximately $1.1 million for various operating expenses, specialty employees, data and contracts. The sum also included the amount of money given to the schools.

“It seems like the balance of the kids that are supposedly being helped through this, it’s hard for me to reconcile those two things with the amount of money we’re spending administratively to the number of kids,” Hancock said.

Some of the possible proposals the council members made for funding included cut-

ting many employees to avoid overlap, which Prosser said did not exist between the different employees.

“I’m getting calls all the time from parents that are dealing with violence in Aurora Public Schools and Cherry Creek Public School District,” Councilmember Danille Jurinsky said. “And obviously, we have no authority, no jurisdiction, but their approach currently, and how they are handling violence in their school, how they are handling violent juvenile offenders. I am completely appalled by.” Jurinsky suggested that instead of sending the money to the schools, the funding currently allocated to them could be used for school resource officers or to fund programs planned through the police department that the city could support. She also suggested bringing the police department’s Five-O Trailer out for events and programs planned through the police department.

This was suggested because the city also receives nearly $2 million in grant funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance-Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative Grant, specifically for youth violence. The grant ends in late 2027, according to city information.

Mayor Mike Coffman mentioned what he said is the good work the police department is doing with their so-called “call-ins.” He encouraged the other council members to sit in on one.

“A call in where one of these individuals who’s been targeted as being somebody who has a propensity for gun violence is in the room with law enforcement and with some of our service providers, where they provided an off ramp to say, ‘hey, we can help you, but if you’re not going to take the off ramp, we’re going to be pretty tough on you,” Coffman said. “And I think they’re very helpful,” Prosser said she would return with more information in January.

Aurora police officials close the parking lot at Hinkley High School in 2021 after parking lot shooting there. File Photo by PHILIP B. POSTON/ Sentinel Colorado

CASSANDRA BALLARD, Sentinel Staff Writer

AROUND AURORA

Aurora police get final OK to use AI facial recognition to track suspects

City lawmakers gave final approval Oct. 20 to a plan to allow Aurora police to use Artificial Intelligence in facial recognition to help track down criminal suspects.

“We took our time to make sure that we developed a program that is both responsible, accountable and provides transparency,” Police Commander Chris Poppe said.

Poppe said the police department has been developing its AI program for several years to ensure it meets the requirements of state Senate Bill 22-113 and aligns with best practices for accountability and transparency.

The department would use facial recognition as an “additional biometric method” to help identify suspects in criminal investigations, which will help to generate investigative leads, not probable cause for arrest, Poppe said.

“What will be put out by this is only a tip or a lead,” Poppe said. It’s not probable cause. It doesn’t lead us to arrest anyone. It requires considerable additional investigation to validate if there is any credibility to that lead, just like we do with almost anything else we receive.”

The department plans to use the technology through existing investigative tools such as Lumen and the private vendor ClearView AI, both of which allow officers to compare images with publicly available databases, social media and open-source material.

Limits on what the technology may not be used for include violating constitutional rights under the Fourth or Fourteenth Amendments, harassing or intimidating any person or group, civil immigration enforcement, and ongoing surveillance or tracking without a court order.

Poppe said they also intend to have training, not just for users of the systems but also for every detective who might receive facial recognition leads.

“We’re not only implementing peer review, but we’re even implementing additional layers to ensure that we don’t have any errors with our leads,” Poppe said. “We’re taking it above and beyond best practice.”

Councilmember Allison Coombs asked about the city’s decision to work with Clearview AI, citing multi-million-dollar lawsuits against the company for collecting and selling billions of images without authorization.

“How can we trust that, considering that they’ve utilized images and collected images in an unauthorized manner in the past and been found guilty of that in courts?” Coombs said.

City Attorney Pete Schulte said that Clearview AI has since amended its data collection and storage practices.

“Clearview has followed every court order they have received,” Schulte said. “They have changed their practices. They are in compliance with the law as it’s come down.”

Coombs said that in the most recent lawsuit involving Clearview AI, a federal judge in Illinois awarded a $51.75 million nationwide class settlement. This stemmed from Clearview’s collection of images, which violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act and other state laws.

Clearview AI also settled a separate case in Illinois in 2022, in which the American Civil Liberties Union alleged a violation of privacy rights because the company allowed private businesses

and individuals to access its database.

Clearview agreed to stop selling access to its database to private businesses or individuals, but the agreement allowed Clearview to continue working with federal agencies and local law enforcement outside Illinois, according to the Associated Press reporting

“It’s deeply concerning that we would be looking at contracting with a vendor that has demonstrated that they will violate the law and wait to be sued to then comply,” she said

City council approved the proposal 5–2, with council members Coombs and Ruben Medina voting no. Three council members were absent.

“Crimes occur every day, and our officers do a great job of collecting evidence and identifying witnesses,” Poppe said.

This technology will enhance productivity, increase crime solvability, and ultimately increase safety for the community and for our officers, Poppe said.

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer

SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION

Hundreds of Colorado schools, including in Cherry Creek, face losing free meals if ballot measures LL, MM fail

About 380 Colorado schools might lose their ability to serve all students free meals if two ballot measures fail in the Nov. 4 election, state education data shows.

State lawmakers put Propositions MM and LL on the ballot to shore up Colorado’s Healthy School Meals for All program, which offers free breakfast and lunch to every student whose district opts in. But the program, which was created by a 2022 ballot measure, has proven more popular — and thus, more expensive — than expected.

This past spring, lawmakers decided to fully fund the program through the end of 2025 but then scale it back if voters don’t approve Propositions MM and LL.

Meals would still be free at schools that participate in the federal Community Eligibility Provision program. To qualify for this provision, at least 25% of students must be “directly certified” to receive free meals because their families already receive public nutrition benefits, or because the students themselves are homeless or in foster care, among other criteria.

Of the 1,803 schools participating in Health School Meals for All, 1,421 are part of the Community Eligibility Provision program, according to Colorado Department of Education data. That means that if Propositions MM and LL fail, meals will still be free at almost 80% of participating Colorado schools, including traditional district-run schools, charter schools, and schools inside youth detention centers.

But families at the remaining 382 schools could end up having to pay for meals themselves, or fill out federal applications to determine if their children qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on family income.

Some of those 382 schools across the state may still be able to get Healthy School Meals for All funding if they’re eligible for, but don’t currently participate in, the Community Eligibility Provision. Other schools might opt to foot the bill for free meals if the measures fail.

In Cherry Creek schools, 18 do not participate in the eligibility program, including Campus Middle School and Grandview High School. All Aurora Public

Schools participate. Since it started in the 2023-24 school year, the Healthy School Meals for All program’s popularity has meant higher costs than predicted.

The state needs about $150 million this year to fully fund the program, but the revenue from Proposition FF, which created the program, has fallen short.

Proposition MM asks voters for $95 million more a year for the school meals program by increasing taxes on households that make more than $300,000 a year. Money from this measure could also be used to help pay for costs related to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which was cut by Congress.

And Proposition LL asks voters whether the state can keep millions in

revenue raised for its popular free school meals program instead of providing taxpayer refunds.

Below is a list of schools that do and don’t participate in the Community Eligibility Provision. Only schools not participating in the provision may lose the ability to serve free meals funded by the state if Propositions MM and LL fail.

— Jason Gonzales, Colorado Chalkbeat

COPS AND COURTS

Aurora street cameras lead police to Denver suspect in fatal hit-andrun

Aurora’s police street camera system led officers to a Denver man suspected in a hit-and-run pedestrian fatality on East Colfax Avenue Oct. 21, police said.

Officers were called to an auto-pedestrian crash at about 6:30 p.m. on Colfax at Laredo Street, Aurora police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood said in a statement.

“The investigation determined that an adult male was crossing north across Colfax when he was struck by a GMC SUV,” Easterwood said. “The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The driver fled, she said. The pedestrian was not identified.

The city’s Real Time Information

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ARAPAHOE COUNTY

Remember to change your clocks

Daylight saving time starts Nov. 2. Be sure to turn your clock back one hour.

When seconds count, stay informed ArapAlert is your trusted source for emergency notifications in Arapahoe County—from wildfires to shelter-in-place orders and more. Since the ArapAlert system was recently upgraded even previous subscribers will need to re-subscribe.

Make wine jelly

Learn the basics of hot water bath canning. Enjoy a live demonstration and take home a 4-ounce jar of wine jelly, along with recipes to make at home. The in-person class will be held on Nov. 12, 6–8 p.m. at the CSU Extension Arapahoe County Office in Centennial. Attendees must register at least 3–5 days in advance.

National Weatherization Day is Oct. 30

Free energy saving services

Weatherization provides a professional audit of a resident’s home to determine what energy-conserving updates or installations will keep them cooler in the summer, and warmer in the winter while lowering utility bills. Visit arapahoeco.gov/weatherization to check eligibility.

75 Years of Celebrating our Veterans

Every year, the Cherry Creek School District is honored to celebrate the heroes who have sacriﬁced to ensure our freedom. To honor our active service members and veterans, schools across the district are hosting parades and celebrations. Scan the QR code to learn more

Center inside Aurora police dispatch identified the suspected vehicle involved in the crash using Aurora FLOCK cameras, posted near the scene.

Police used the license plate captured in photos to lead them to Daryl Murray, 32, who was arrested at a Denver address, Easterwood said.

Murray faces charges of driving with a suspended license, failing to notify police of a crash, and leaving the scene of a crash, according to police.

As of Oct. 22, Murray was being held at Aurora’s detention center in lieu of $20,000 bond.

—Sentinel Staff

POLICE: Honduran man

suspected in Aurora I-225 shooting was planning to flee the US

Aurora police last week arrested a Honduran national they say was attempting to flee the country and is accused of shooting and critically injuring a motorist on Interstate 225 Oct. 18.

Celin Villeda Orellana, 38, was arrested during a traffic stop near East 11th Avenue and Havana Street by members of the APD Fugitive Apprehension and Narcotics Unit, police said in a statement Friday.

Police credited new and controversial Flock Safety cameras across the city for helping investigators identify and track down Orellana.

Police used Flock cameras equipped with license plate readers to identify a suspect vehicle, which was registered to Orellana. Police said that led them to identify him as the suspect in the shooting.

Police said he was charged with multiple felony charges, including attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, menacing and illegal discharge of a firearm.

“Following the traffic stop, the ongoing investigation revealed Orellana…was making plans to flee the country,” Aurora Police spokesperson Gabby Easterwood said in a statement.

The arrest stems from a shooting reported as a single-car crash at about 1:15 a.m. Saturday on I-225 near East Sixth Avenue. When officers arrived, they found a vehicle that had crashed into the highway’s jersey barrier.

The driver, an adult man, had multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to a local hospital, where he remains with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police said the shooting was not random.

On Oct. 24, Police Chief Todd Chamberlain held a press conference and told reporters that Orellana tailed the shooting victim on Aurora streets and the highway for some time before firing into his car. He said an unidentified female was associated with the two men and that likely was the motive for the shooting.

Working with federal immigration agents, Aurora police transferred Orellana into custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on possible federal charges, Easterwood said.

“This case is a clear example of why our partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and ICE is so critical,” Aurora police Chief Todd Chamberlain said in a statement. “Without their cooperation, we would not have the ability to hold this dangerous individual accountable for his actions here in Aurora.”

Chamberlain did not explain why Orellana, facing several felony charges, including attempted murder, could not have been held without bond, or substantial bond, in county jail, other than

to say that police did not have a warrant for Orellana’s arrest at the time he was pulled over for a traffic stop.

Chamberlain said Orellana had a load handgun with him in the car, allowing officers to arrest him on federal firearm charges, and then immediately transfer him over to ICE for detention.

Chamberlain said the suspect’s immigration status played a role in keeping him detained. “The criminal nexus between his immigration status and the violent crime he committed allowed us to take lawful action to ensure he remains in custody today,” he said.

Court records show Orellana has been deported three times, in 2007, 2018 and 2020. Aurora police said the most recent deportation followed his arrest in Denver on child sexual assault charges involving a victim younger than 15.

Chamberlain took the opportunity to laud the city’s Flock camera system, pointing to recent events where police were able to identify and arrest suspects in crimes involving cars on city streets.

“It enhances the operation, it improves the mission,” Chamberlain said, speaking to current controversy in Denver over the use of the Flock camera system, as well as other cities across the country. “We’re able to do investigations that wouldn’t occur otherwise. We are able to change the dynamics of human life based upon the use of technology.

— Sentinel Staff

City council campaign finance reports reveal donors near and far

Final campaign finance reports of the 2025 Aurora City Council election cycle were filed Oct. 21, and at-large Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky emerged as the fundraising leader.

Fellow Republican and incumbent candidates were top fundraising reporters during this initial reporting cycle from Jan. 1 2025 through early last week.

In Aurora, at-large campaign donations from a single contributor are capped at $1,150, while single ward candidate donations are capped at $450.

Jurinsky reported the most amounts in all categories of fundraising.

In-kind contributions typically mean that someone provided services, not cash, for the candidate, which can include food, venues and other gifts.

At-Large Candidates

Danielle Jurinsky

Total contributions for the first reporting period totaled $255,675, and in-kind contributions totaled $900. Running for her second term, Jurinsky began her filing from the last election with $3,662.

Jurinsky, a Republican, received 150 contributions of the maximum $1,150 each.

Her largest contribution was from Westside Investment Partners, a real estate development investment firm. The firm has active projects across the Front Range with seven in Aurora, including Aurora Crossroads and Green Valley Ranch. Andy Klein, Westside owner and founder, his wife and three children all contributed the capped $1,150 donation. The addresses they filed under were in Denver, Englewood, Centennial, Greenwood Village and Highlands Ranch.

Total contributions from Westside Investment, with each family member’s contributions, came to $10,350 in Jurinsky’s first reporting period.

It is not unusual in state and local campaigns, among Republicans and Democrats, for large contributors to get

around campaign donation caps by having family members or multiple, linked businesses make donations, campaign experts say.

In the later reporting period, William Parkhill personally donated, and contributions then came from five of his companies, all involved in a 6.8-acre urban renewal project in Aurora called Metro Center, a mixed-use, transit-oriented development. The companies include Navona Investors LLC, a Colorado-based real estate company and Navona Partners LLC, along with contributions from each Parcel LLC for the property, Parcels A, B and C LLC, all of which contributed the highest amount and ultimately contributed nearly $6,900 to Jurinsky’s campaign.

Brannan Sand and Gravel and eight employees contribute to Jurinsky’s campaign, equalling $9,200 in the first reporting period.

Other groups or companies that had at least four employees contribute to Jurinsky’s campaign include HEI Civil, a construction contractor for large-scale complex infrastructure; Bison Oil and Gas, a Denver-based upstream oil and gas exploration; Westwood Professional Services, a solar energy company; Alberta Development Partners LLC; and 76 Group, including previous city council member Dustin Zvonek. The 76 Group is a Republican lobbying and political consulting company.

These five businesses alone contributed $23,000 to Jurinsky’s campaign. She also had seven CEOs and two COOs, with two CEOs included above through HEI Civil and Bison Oil and Gas.

More than $26,000 came from the real estate industry.

Jurinsky received $39,900 from Aurora donors, $80,900 from Denver donors, $16,705 from Greenwood Village, $14,270 from Englewood, $13,840 from Littleton and $13,622 from Centennial donors. The rest of her contributions came from cities and towns across the Front Range, along with a few from out of state, including Arizona, Texas and Florida.

Her total reported expenditures so far include $189,720, with $7,236 spent in Aurora, $73,226 spent in Denver, including Saratoga Strategies, $24,689

spent in Centennial, $29,372 spent in California, and $16,160 in Littleton.

The top five expenditures paid for so far include Saratoga Strategies, $54,500 for political consulting and campaign strategies; DTC Print Brokers, $20,912; Look Ahead Strategies, $20,000 for a communications and research firm for political campaigns; Outdoor Promotions, or bus stop ads, $17,160; and Porchlink media for neighborhood newsletters, $13,800.

Amsalu Kassaw

Total contributions reported so far have been $103,158 with $2,150 in-kind contributions.

Kassaw, a Republican at-large city council member, was appointed to his city council seat last year. He received 45 contributions for the capped amount of $1,150.

His more notable $1,150 contributions came from James and Jill Spehalski. James is the owner of Marathon Land Company, and his wife and six of his employees all contributed $1,150 each.

Other top contributors include prevalent land developer Andrew Chaikovsky and Carol Chaikovsky who both donated $1,150.

Many of his contributions came from fellow Aurora Ethiopian immigrants, with whom he has strong ties to the large community.

Kassaw received $37,431 of his current contributions from residents in Aurora, as well as $29,190 from Denver, Littleton $8,382, Centennial $5,986, Greenwood Village $5,121, Highlands Ranch $5,048 and other surrounding cities on the Front Range.

Total expenditures reported so far have been $81,360.

The top five expenditures were for Saratoga Strategies $40,000 for political consulting and campaign strategies, Majority Strategies LLC $14,232.34 for a Republican political advertising firm, DTC Print Brokers $8,378.44, Ringside Consulting $2,000.00 and Horizon Reprographics for $1,315.

Kassaw spent $2,212 of his expenditures in Aurora and $48,785 in Denver. He also spent $14,232 in Dallas, Texas for Majority Strategies, the Republican advertising firm.

Robert Andrews

Total contributions reported were $46,015, and in-kind contributions came to $2,642.

Andrews contributed $10,175 to his own at-large campaign, according to city campaign records.

Andrews, a Democrat, ran for mayor in the last city council election, but he stepped down to “not split the vote” with fellow Democrat Juan Marcano, local Democratic Party officials said. Marano lost the election to Mayor Mike Coffman. Andrews is running for Aurora City Council At-Large in this election.

Andrews has mostly received small donations. Some of his largest and most notable contributions came from the 18th Judicial District Attorney Amy Padden for $1,150, John Bailey with the Black Round Table for $1,150, Former Democratic Arapahoe County Commissioner Nancy Jackson for $200 and former Democratic State House Rep. Karen Middleton for $500.

Contributions include $24,485 from Aurora donors, $13,900 from Denver donors and the rest of his contributions have been from various locations across the state.

Andrews’ total expenditures so far have been $41,627, with the top five services being 4Degrees Digital communications and political advertising firm for $17,000, Hilltop Public Solutions a campaign management company for $12,554, Political consultant Howard Chou for $4,200, Corazon Printing for $2,847 and Jeff Person a campaign consultant for $1,000.

The majority of Andrew’s expenditures were in Denver at $18,525. He spent $559 in Aurora and $12,554 in Avon for Hilltop Public Solutions.

Alli Jackson

Jackson, a Democrat, is running for Aurora City Council at-large.

Jackson’s reported contributions came to $17,000, and in-kind contributions came to $750.00; she donated $100 to her own campaign.

Top and most notable contributors include Arnold Shultz the president and chair at Recreational Opportunities for

›› See METRO, 16

5-4

BELOW TOP: Cherokee Trail players console each other after the Cougars’ 8-4 loss to Legend in a Class 5A state softblal semifinal Oct. 25 at the Aurora Sports Park.

BELOW MIDDLE: Cherokee Trail center fielder Izzy Becker tracks down a sinking line drive for a big catch in the Cougars’ win over Fort Collins Oct. 24.

BELOW BOTTOM: Braelyn Blakeman holds up a ball she snagged with a diving catch during Grandview’s 12-2 loss to Columbine in a Class 5A state softball first round playoff game Oct. 24 at Aurora Sports Park.

PHOTOS BY COURTNEY

Akey hit or break here or there and two Aurora area softball programs might have met each other for the first time with a state championship at stake.

On adjacent fields at the Aurora Sports Park on the final day of the season, second-seeded Cherokee Trail and fifth-seeded Eaglecrest each were locked in 4-4 ballgames late in Class 5A semifinals Oct. 25.

SOFTBALL

group of seniors in Izzy Becker, Lily Buttshaw, Kate Kenney, Abby Anderson and Caitlin Thurman. Senior-loaded Broomfield also nearly didn’t make it to the championship game itself and that’s because of the performance of coach Yvette Hendrian’s Eaglecrest team, which played its best softball of the season when it mattered most.

Senior pitcher Zaya Elliott had two strong outings on the opening day of the tournament — a 10-0 win over No. 12 Valor Christian and 4-1 victory over No. 4 Erie — but she and her teammates were special in the semifinals against the highly-favored Eagles.

Stopped short

Instead, the Cougars and Raptors — who met each other in the Centennial League championship game towards the end of the regular season — both came up short in losses to No. 6 Legend and No. 1 Broomfield, respectively. With both coming up short, that extends the area’s championship drought to nine seasons dating back to Cherokee Trail’s 2016 win.

BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor

Coach Caley Mitchell’s Cougars firmly believed they could return to the 5A state final for a second straight season and were focused on a potential meeting with Broomfield as the teams had occupied the top two spots in the state rankings.

Juniors Sydney Cobb and Emma Rice pitched lights out on the opening day of the tournament and Cherokee Trail cruised past No. 15 Chaparral (4-1) and No. 12 Fort Collins (10-0) to reach a semifinal against Legend, which had dealt the Cougars a 10run loss earlier in the season.

The teams combined for seven runs in the opening inning (four for the Titans, three for the Cougars) and the game was tied going to the seventh inning after Cobb’s sacrifice fly brought in junior Tayah Burton with the tying run.

The game unraveled in the top of the seventh, however, as Legend used a combination of bunts, errors and well-placed hits to score four times. Cherokee Trail could not respond in its final at-bat and finished the season 22-5 with a hunger stoked for next season as it will have to replace a small, but strong

The Raptors (22-6) loaded the bases in the opening inning, but could not push a run across and watched Broomfield put four runs on the board in the third inning. But Elliott steadied and threw five consecutive scoreless frames as her team got back into the contest.

Impact freshman Haisley Elliott, juniors Lelia Kelliher and Ryleigh Stufft and sophomore Lexi Bargar drove in runs, while sophomroe Giana Vialpando Williams scored two as Eaglecrest tied the score in the fifth. The teams battled all the way until ninth inning, when the Eagles capitalized on a defensive miscommunication and won 5-4 on a walk-off sacrifice fly.

Eaglecrest’s performance against Broomfield looked even better as the Eagles piled up 17 runs in a five-inning win over Legend in the state championship game.

Grandview made the state tournament for a fourth straight season, but was unable to get past the opening round this time. Coach Liz Carter’s Wolves had the No. 14 seed and that pitted them against a tough Columbine team that was seeded No. 3. The Rebels’ bats were hot from the very start — they scored five runs in the opening inning — and never let up in a 12-2 five-inning victory.

Senior shortstop Sasha Kennedy ended her outstanding prep career with a bang, as she finished 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and triple, while she scored one of Grandview’s runs and drove in Braelyn Blakeman with the other.

The Wolves finished the season 16-11.

RIGHT: Led by seniors Zaya Elliott (6) and Sybella Trevino, second from right, the Eaglecrest softball team lines up to shake hands following a

loss in 9 innings to Broomfield in a Class 5A state softball semifinal Oct. 25 at the Aurora Sports Park.

OAKES/AURORA SENTINEL

Right: Members of the Cherokee Trail boys cross country team pose with the runner-up trophy from the Class 5A Region 1 race Oct, 23 at the Aurora Sports Park. The Cougars finished second behind Legend to grab one of the four qualifying team spots in the Nov. 1 5A boys state cross country race.

Middle:Cherokee Trail’s Madison Lange (313) and Regis Jesuit’s McKenna Groen (433) run in the lead pack midway through the Class 5A Region 1 girls race Oct. 23 at the Aurora Sports Park. Lange finished second and Groen fourth

Below: Vista PEAK Prep junior Brandon Pearcy finished fifth to lead all Aurora-area competitors in the Class 5A Region 1 race Oct. 23 at the Aurora Sports Park.

Anything can happen is a mantra that perfectly applies to cross country and the upcoming state meet is not immune.

Very few races go off exactly as expected, so the chances for some curveballs to come from the Nov. 1 races at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs is very high.

A double-digit number of boys and girls from Aurora area programs will be on hand among the state’s best hoping things go right as they bid to win individual or team hardware.

CROSS COUNTRY

ished 20th — the Cougars’ contingent for the 9 a.m. Nov. 1 race also includes senior Carter Getty, juniors Kenneth English and Tanner Larsen and freshman Alex Kiedrowski.

Cherokee Trail will be alone in the team race for the Aurora area, but not individually, as three runners from other programs (Regis Jesuit and Vista PEAK Prep) earned state berths.

Main course

The Class 5A Region 1 boys race was a case in point of several things not going right for Cherokee Trail, but it wasn’t enough to hold the Cougars back from qualifying as a team.

BY COURTNEY OAKES Sports Editor

Senior No. 1 runner Dylan Smith fell ill just before the Oct. 23 race at the Aurora Sports Park — and very nearly did not compete — while junior Jaxon Weber lost a shoe near the midway point of the race and senior Josh Chadeyane slipped and did a face plant at one point during the race. Still, the Cougars overcame the adversity to post a total of 76 points that was not enough to catch runaway regional champion Legend (which had 44), but was enough for the runner-up spot that assured a them a trip to state.

Smith gutted through his illness to finished sixth, while Weber —who tried unsuccessfully to free himself from his other shoe after losing his first one — mostly maintained his position despite the bad luck and finished in seventh to lead the way for a team that is under the guidance of Jason Dalby this season.

Dalby — who built Mountain Vista into a national powerhouse — took over the program from longtime coach Chris Faust prior to this season and has been pleased with the development of his group from the start of the season to now.

Besides Smith, Weber and Chadeayne — who fin-

Tops among them at regionals was junior Brandon Pearcy, who has had a breakout season and became the first Vista PEAK Prep boys cross country runner to make the state meet. He finished five seconds in front of Smith in fifth place as the top local finisher and seems to be gaining momentum as the season comes to a close. Also in the field as individuals will be the Regis Jesuit duo of freshman Luis Duarte and senior Liam Martin, who placed 13th and 14th, respectively, in the Region 1 race.

Individually, the area appears to have at least two viable candidates to get on the state medal podium as top-10 finishers in the 5A girls race in a pair of freshmen in Madison Lange and McKenna Groen.

Former teammates before high school, the two ended up at Cherokee Trail and Regis Jesuit, respectively, and have gone head-to-head on a few occassions. For the first half of the Region 1 race, Lange and Groen were together in the lead pack along with Cherry Creek’s Emily Cohen and a few of her teammates.

Eventually, Cohen made multiple moves to take the lead and Lange was able to go with her on one of them, but not on the second as Cohen pulled away to win the regional title. Lange finished 10 seconds behind as the runner-up, while Groen placed a solid fourth to earn her state trip.

While Groen will run in the 10:20 a.m. race as an individual (as will Eaglecrest junior Jenna Winn, a repeat qualifier), Lange will have a full contingent of Cherokee Trail teammates in juniors Clara Kapfer, Jade McDaniel and Anneli Reite, sophomores Elizabeth Skibitskii and Elle Van Fossen and freshman Elle Rollins.

The Aurora area has one other individual state qualifier in Lotus School For Excellence junior Kamal Khalif, who has earned a spot in the 2A boys race at 11 a.m. The Meteors had the 2A runner-up last season in Biruk Begashaw.

FOOTBALL

Aurora teams go 3-8 as regular season winds down

The penultimate week of the prep football regular season saw Aurora area programs finish with a 3-8 record.

Two of the three victories (those earned by Grandview and Vista PEAK Prep) came in tight head-to-head local matchups with rival Eaglecrest and Rangeview, respectively, while Gateway won in lopsided fashion.

The wildest game of the week featured a back-and-forth contest between Vista PEAK Prep Oct. 24 in front of a lively crowd at Aurora Public Schools Stadium. Tyrone Smiley capped a phenomenal game with a jump pass touchdown to Asher Bartholomew that held up as the winning score. Smiley also rushed for 180 yards and three touchdowns, while Isaiah Watson caught two touchdown passes for the Bison (4-5 overall, 2-2 in Front Range South League). The Raiders (5-4, 1-3) got a huge game from quarterback Tyson Tuck with three rushing scores and a passing touchdown, while Kylen Mack piled up 264 yards and two scores.

Grandview outlasted Eaglecrest 16-14 in a wild Centennial League contest Oct. 24 at Legacy Stadium. A wild end to the opening half saw the Wolves (5-4, 2-2) open up a 10-0 lead on a short touchdown run by Chris Blanks, which was followed up by a 99-yard kickoff return score by Cameron Bell and 2-point conversion run by William Brinkman to make it a two-point game. Blitz McCarty threw a touchdown pass to Julian Savaloja in the second half and Noah Galvez made a field goal for Grandview, which survived a rally by the Raptors (6-3, 2-2) with Brinkman’s fourth-quarter touchdown run that was followed by a two-point conversion stop. Gateway scored double-digit points in each of the first two quarters of its Oct. 23 4A 1-25 game with Thornton at Aurora Public Schools Stadium and sustained the momentum in a 45-8 victory. Amiel Krangar scored two touchdowns, Adriel Krangar had a pick-six and Luis Grajeda took a kickoff back 95 yards for another score for the Olys (3-6, 1-3).

Regis Jesuit dropped a second straight one-score 5A Southern League contest, as Pine Creek scored a touchdown inside the final 10 seconds to take a 31-24 victory Oct. 24 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. Joe Pron rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, Luke Rubley threw a touchdown pass to Colt Jones and Jack Manthey connected on a 51-yard field goal to round out the Raiders’ scoring. Coming off a big Week 8 win over Grandview, Cherokee Trail dropped a 27-13 Centennial League contest against Arapahoe. Bryson Peterson rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Jordan Mitchell, while Logan Posey went over 100 yards of total offense (79 rushing, 42 receiving) .

Smoky Hill fell 42-0 to Cherry Creek, while Aurora Central (59-0 to Northfield) and Hinkley (64-0 to Standley Lake) also lost by shutout. Overland came up just short of its first win with a 17-14 road loss at Boulder in a game in which Elijah Hargrove had 200 yards and a touchdown.

FIELD HOCKEY

Raiders win to open state playoffs; Wolves, Buffs move into consolations

The state field hockey playoffs began with first round contests Oct. 27-28 in which all 16 of the state’s programs were in action.

TOP LEFT: Gateway’s Adriel Krangar lifts his arms in celebration of his interception return touchdown in the Olys’ 45-8 Week 9 win over Thornoton Oct. 23 at APS Stadium. TOP RIGHT: Rangeview quarterback Tyson Tuck (10) is lifted in the air by teammate Keylen Mack (5) after scoring one of his three touchdowns in a Week 9 loss Oct. 24. ABOVE: Regis Jesuit’s Sam Beatty (1) carries the ball upfield during the Raiders’ 4-0 state field hockey first round playoff win Oct. 27 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. RIGHT: Vista PEAK Prep’s Tyrone Smiley (32) rushed for three touchdowns and threw a scoring pass in the Bison’s 41-40 win over Rangeview Oct. 24. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

Playing in the first set of games, Regis Jesuit — the No. 5 overall seed — defended the home turf of Lou Kellogg Stadium with a 4-0 victory over No. 12 Poudre School District. The Raiders scored first in the midst of a downpour and Katie Rasure tallied again in the second quarter for a two-goal edge at halftime that doubled in the second half. Regis Jesuit (9-7) will play at No. 4 Arapahoe (11-5) in the Oct. 30 quarterfinals.

tournament that begins Oct. 29.

For full playo coverage, visit sentinelcolorado. com/preps

Smoky Hill (5-8-2) received the No. 10 seed and Grandview (3-12) came in at No. 14 and both lost first round road games Oct. 28. Opening round winners advance to the championship side of the bracket, while teams that lose opening matchups shift to the consolation side. Smoky Hill won the championship of the consolation bracket last season in its debut.

Visit sentinelcolorado.com/preps for an updated scoreboard and schedule for the field hockey postseason.

BOYS SOCCER

Four Aurora area teams make 5A state tourney

The Colorado High School Activities Association released seedings for state soccer tournaments in all classifications Oct. 27 and four area squads landed spots among 32 in the Class 5A state

Teams seeded in the top half had opening round home games and that group included both No. 6 Regis Jesuit and No. 12 Cherokee Trail, while No. 19 Smoky Hill and No. 29 Vista PEAK Prep play on the road. Regis Jesuit now has qualified for the postseason for 11 straight seasons, while Cherokee Trail extended its streak to five and Vista PEAK Prep is up to three. For Smoky Hill, however, it is the first psotseason appearance since 2019.

Aurora West College Prep Academy made the 3A bracket as the No. 19 seed, while Lotus School For Excellence is the No. 8 seed in the 2A postseason.

Visit sentinelcolorado.com/preps for coverage and results for Aurora teams in the boys soccer playoffs.

WEEK PAST

The week past in Aurora prep sports

MONDAY, OCT. 27: The Gateway girls volleyball team fell to Skyview in three sets. ...SATURDAY, OCT. 25:The Eaglecrest girls volleyball team outlasted Fruita Monument 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 17-25, 15-13 and also downed Chatfield 25-23, 12-25, 26-24, 25-15 to finish play

at the Ponderosa Tournament. Anayah Rucker and Taylor Slothower were in double figures in kills in both matches to pace the Raptors. Cherokee Trail finished 1-1 in the same tournament with a four-set win over Fruita Monument and four-set loss to Pine Creek. Ella Notheisen tallied 28 kills between the two matches, while Avery Krause dished out a combined 81 assists. ...The Continental League champion Regis Jesuit boys soccer team scored four times in both halves of an 8-0 league victory over Douglas County. Rory Schmeider scored twice to lead seven goal scorers for the Raiders. ...Caleb Burgess and Isaac Wells had a goal and an assist apiece for the Cherokee Trail boys soccer team in a 4-1 Centennial League win against Overland Sam Beidler and Landon Snedden also had goals for the Cougars. ...FRIDAY, OCT. 24: The Rangeview girls volleyball team downed DSST: College View 25-21, 25-12, 25-15 in a Silver Division championship semifinal match in the City League Tournament. The Raiders got 12 kills and six blocks from Keimora Prosser, 20 digs from Ariana Marquez and 18 assists from Teyla Holloway to move into a bracket championship matchup with Denver North. The Hinkley girls volleyball team is headed to the consolation championship match (fifth place) in the Silver Division after a 22-25, 25-18, 25-16, 19-25, 15-11 win over

Kennedy.... Emily Peterson and Sanaya Wyatt had eight kills apiece for the Vista PEAK Prep girls volleyball team, but it wasn’t enough in a 25-15, 25-16, 25-19 loss to Northfield in a Gold Division championship semifinal match. ...The Cherokee Trail girls volleyball team finished 2-0 on the opening day of the Ponderosa Tournament with sweeps of Chatfield and Ponderosa, while Eaglecrest lost to Pine Creek but swept Ponderosa. ...THURSDAY, OCT. 23: The Eaglecrest girls volleyball team knocked off defending champion Cherry Creek 25-20, 18-25, 17-25, 25-18, 16-14 in a Centennial League Challenge championship semifinal on the road as Anayah Rucker tallied 12 kills and Taylor Slowthower had 11, while Natalia Jarzebczyk added 18 assists and Caitlin Lengfeld had 15. The Raptors will play for the championship Oct. 28 against Mlulen, which defeated Cherokee Trail 25-19, 25-23, 25-19. Grandview (25-9, 25-17, 25-14 against Overland) and Smoky Hill (17-25, 25-18, 25-23, 18-25, 16-14 against Arapahoe) won the consolation semifinals and will play each other for third place. Jaedyn Sims had nine kills to pace the Wolves, while the Buffaloes got 14 kills and eight blocks from Cherrish Norwood Nathan Alemayehu and Tylen Haller had goals, while John Villamizar

›› See PREPS, 11

PREPS

kept a clean sheet with eight saves as the Smoky Hill boys soccer team took a 2-0 Centennial League shutout win against Grandview at Stutler Bowl. ...Julian Cortez had two goals, while Daylen Cardwell had a goal and assist for the Rangeview boys soccer team in a 3-0 home win over Hinkley. ...The Smoky Hill field hockey team closed out the regular season with a 3-0 win over Grandview at Stutler Bowl that included a seven-save effort from Riley Leeser

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 22:The Vista PEAK Prep girls volleyball team opened Gold Division play in the City League Tournament with a 25-19, 2516, 25-15 defeat of KIPP Denver Collegiate with help from 12 Sanaya Wyatt kills plus 33 assists from Ava Elzroth. ...In Silver Division first round play at the City League Tournament, the Rangeview girls volleyball team downed Bruce Randolph 24-26, 25-13, 25-11, 25-14 behind Keimora Prosser’s 18 kills, while Hinkley lost in four set sto George Washington. ...Alex Silva scored four goals and had four assists to help the Aurora West College Prep Academy boys soccer team to an 11-1 win over Nederland. ...Ella Brannan scored a goal and assisted on Caitlin Mitchell’s score as the Grandview field hockey team defeated Cheyenne Mountain. Madison Ferebee made 11 saves for the Wolves. ...The Overland co-op gymnastics team finished in third place at the Centennial/Continental Championship meet hosted by Cherry Creek High School with a team score of 171.700 points. The best individual even finish for the Trailblazers came on the uneven bars as Abby Mess (8.900) and Josie Arlt (8.775) placed second and fourth, respectively. Stephanie Fernandes added a fourth-place performance (with a score

SMOKY HOT: Nathan Alemayehu, front, plays a ball in the midfield during the Smoky Hill boys soccer team’s 2-0 win over Grandview Oct. 23. Alemayehu and the Buffaloes qualified for the Class 5A state tournament as well. (Photos by Courtney Oakes/Aurora Sentinel)

of 9.325) in the floor exercise, while Mess was eighth in the all-around standings.

TUESDAY, OCT. 21: The Centennial League Challenge girls volleyball tournament opened with victories going to Cherokee Trail (25-19, 25-20, 25-16 over Arapahoe) and Eaglecrest (25-15, 26-24, 25-23) in games played on their respective home floors, while Overland fell to Cherry Creek and Smoky Hill lost to Mullen. ... Kam Bachus, Connor Genson and Cameron Sim recorded goals as the Regis Jesuit boys soccer team rallied from a goal deficit to beat Castle View 3-1 at Lou Kellogg Stadium. ...Andreas Karpouzos scored a goal and had two assists, while Yassine Assougdam had a goal and an assist as the Smoky Hill boys soccer team downed Overland 5-1.

Time travel tribulations

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY WHEN CLOCKS ‘FALL BACK’ AN HOUR

BY LAURAN NEERGAARD, AP Medical Writer

Plan on a glorious extra hour of sleep as most of America “falls back” into standard time. But make sure to get outside for some morning sun, too — it’ll help your body clock reset faster.

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday, which means you should set your clock back an hour before you go to bed. Standard time will last until March 8 when we will again “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time.

There’s a lot of grumbling about the twicea-year time changes. The spring switch tends to be harder, losing that hour of sleep we allegedly recover in the fall. But many people also mourn fall’s end of daylight saving time, when days already are getting shorter and moving the clocks can mean less daylight after school or work for exercise or outdoor fun.

Some health groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have long urged adopting standard time year-round.

New research from Stanford University agrees, finding that switching back-and-forth is the worst option for our health. The study showed sticking with either time option would be a bit healthier, but they found permanent standard time is slightly better — because it aligns more with the sun and human biology, what’s called our circadian rhythm.

“The best way to think about it is as if the

central clock were like a conductor of an orchestra and each of the organs were a different instrument,” said Jamie Zeitzer, who co-directs Stanford’s Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences.

More light in the morning and less at night is key to keeping that rhythm on schedule — all the instruments in sync. When the clock is regularly disrupted by time changes or other reasons, he said each of the body’s organ systems, such as the immune system or metabolism, “just works a little less well.”

Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do — mostly in North America and Europe — the date that clocks are changed varies. In the U.S., Arizona and Hawaii don’t change and stay on standard time.

Here’s what to know about the twice-yearly ritual.

How the body reacts to light

The brain has a master clock that is set by exposure to sunlight and darkness. This circadian rhythm is a roughly 24-hour cycle that determines when we become sleepy and when we’re more alert. The patterns change with age, one reason that early-to-rise youngsters evolve into hard-to-wake teens.

Morning light resets the rhythm. By evening, levels of a hormone called melatonin begin to surge, triggering drowsiness. Too much light in the evening — whether from later time

outdoors doing daylight saving time or from artificial light like computer screens — delays that surge and the cycle gets out of sync.

And that circadian clock affects more than sleep, also influencing things like heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones and metabolism.

How do time changes affect sleep?

Even an hour change on the clock can throw off sleep schedules because even though the clocks change, work and school start times stay the same.

The spring change to daylight saving time can be a little rougher as darker mornings and lighter evenings make it harder to fall asleep on time. Those first few days have been linked to increases in car crashes and even an uptick in heart attacks.

Some people with seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression usually linked to the shorter days and less sunlight of fall and winter, may struggle too.

Many people easily adjust, like how they recover from jet lag after traveling. But a time change can add pressure on shift workers whose schedules already are out of sync with the sun, or those regularly sleep-deprived for other reasons.

About 1 in 3 U.S. adults sleep less than the recommended seven-plus hours nightly, and more than half of U.S. teens don’t get the recommended eight-plus hours on weeknights.

Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, obesity and numerous other problems.

How to prepare for the time change

In both fall and spring, changing bedtimes by as little as 15 minutes a night in the days before the change can help ease into it.

But sunshine in the morning is critical to helping reset your circadian rhythm for healthful sleep. If you can’t get outdoors, sit by windows.

Will the US ever get rid of the time change?

In Congress, a bill named the Sunshine Protection Act that proposes making daylight saving time permanent has stalled in recent years.

Closer to home, Colorado passed a law in 2022 that would push the state into Daylight Savings Time forever, but it’s contingent on two other nearby states joining Colorado, Utah and Wyoming in making the leap to sensibility. There has been no interest at this point.

Clockmakers Rich Finn, left, and Tom Erb

“Lizzie”

scene & herd

at Aurora Fox Arts Center

Come see for yourself this bloodsoaked rock musical as it reimagines one of history’s most infamous murder cases in “Lizzie,” running through Nov. 2 at the Aurora Fox Arts Center. Inspired by the true story of Lizzie Borden, the production fuses punk-rock energy with Victorian darkness as it delves into the events surrounding the 1892 murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. The show features a powerhouse cast, live band, and a score influenced by Bikini Kill, The Runaways and Heart. A special Halloween performance on

IF YOU GO: Oct. 10–Nov. 2; Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $17–$42. Details and reservations at aurorafoxartscenter.org. A special Halloween performance on Oct. 31 includes a costume contest judged by the cast.

‘Turn It Up 2025’ K-pop Dance Showcase at The People’s Building

Get ready to move at Turn It Up 2025, a high-energy K-pop dance showcase celebrating Korean culture and community. With 180 performers from across Colorado, the event promises vibrant choreography, pulsing beats and a welcoming space for fans of all ages. Hosted by Konnectpop, the show continues the group’s mission of cultural exchange through music and dance.

IF YOU GO:Nov. 1–Nov. 2 at The People’s Building, 9995 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $21.94–$39.62 at thepeoplesbuilding.com

Sonidero Halloween at Manos Sagrados

Dance the night away to the irresistible rhythm of cumbia at Sonidero Halloween, presented by Ciudad Reina. Featuring music from Oaxaca’s El Jaguar de la Muerte. The party promises a lively night of movement, music and connection. Costumes are encouraged and dancing is inevitable.

IF YOU GO: Oct. 31, 9 p.m.– close at Manos Sagrados, 9975 E. Colfax Ave., Tickets are $10 at manossagrados.com

Boo and Brew Candy Crawl at Town Center at Aurora

Trick-or-treaters and Halloween fans alike can enjoy the free Boo & Brew Candy Crawl at Town Center at Aurora. The event offers a safe, family-friendly evening of candy, costumes and contests. The nights includes mallwide trick-or-treating, a costume competition with prizes, and live entertainment throughout the afternoon and

evening.

IF YOU GO: Oct. 31, 2 p.m.–7 p.m. at the Town Center at Aurora, 14200 E. Alameda Ave. Details at towncenterataurora.com

Las Llamas del Humor: Comedia en Español at Manos Sagrados

Laughs come in Spanish at Las Llamas del Humor, a stand-up comedy showcase featuring Spanish-speaking comedians including Israel “El Cínico,” Alex Ruiz, Miriam Moreno and more. The evening celebrates bilingual humor and cultural connection with a full slate of performers.

IF YOU GO: Oct. 30. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., show is at 8:30 p.m. at Manos Sagrados, 9975 E. Colfax Ave. Tickets are $20 general, $10 for college students at manossagrados.com

‘Ghosts in the Gardens:

Open Air Scare’ at Denver Botanic Gardens

Dare to explore the haunted history of Denver Botanic Gardens after dark during Ghosts in the Gardens: Open Air Scare. Storytellers recount chilling tales of real ghostly encounters and the site’s mysterious past, including the secrets of the historic Waring House. This self-guided tour takes about 90 minutes and is recommended for ages 12 and older.

IF YOU GO: Three tours on Oct. 30, between 5:45 p.m.–10:15 p.m. The tours begin every 90 minutes at the Denver Botanic Gardens, 1007 York St.. Tickets are $29 for members, $34 general at botanicgardens.org

Sunset Wagon Tour at the Plains Conservation Center

Experience Colorado’s prairie at dusk during the “Sunset Wagon Tour” at the Plains Conservation Center. Guests ride across the open plains, spotting wildlife such as pronghorn and prairie dogs while learning about 19th-century homesteaders and Native American life. The two-hour, family-friendly tour includes stops at historic sod homes and a Cheyenne camp.

IF YOU GO: Nov. 7, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Plains Conservation Center, 21901 E Hampden Ave. Tickets are $15. Registration required at auroragov.org/plains

‘Romeo and Juliet

Experience’ at Vintage Theatre

Vintage Theatre invites audiences to relive Shakespeare’s most iconic love story in Romeo and Juliet: The Experience, an immersive retelling that blends classic passion with contemporary energy. The performance brings the tragic romance to life through intimate staging and modern flair.

IF YOU GO: Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. Tickets are $11.63 at vintagetheatre.org

‘Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous’ at the Vintage Vintage Theatre presents the regional premiere of Pearl Cleage’s “Angry, Raucous and Shamelessly Gorgeous,” a sharp and funny look at art, aging and legacy. The story follows legendary actress Anna Campbell, who returns to the U.S. for one last performance, only to discover she’s being replaced by a younger woman. Directed by Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, the production runs through Nov. 23 in the Bond-Trimble Theatre.

IF YOU GO: Curtains vary for evening and matinee productions through Nov. 23 at the Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. Tickets are $20–$36. Details and reservations at vintagetheatre.org

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COLORADANS DIVIDED OVER TRUMP’S MASS DEPORTATION AND ENFORCEMENT TACTICS

BY STEPHANIE RIVERA,

Over the last several months, Nicholas Pierce’s work as an asylum, refugee and deportation defense lawyer on the Front Range has meant playing catchup. The immigration policies and orders that seem to come on a near-daily basis from the federal government have been hard to keep up with.

In a recent interview, Pierce tried to make sense of the latest effort by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which activists said was called “Freaky Friday,” offering unaccompanied immigrant children cash to self deport, and potentially depriving them of the right to hearings. A local human services agency had reached out to him earlier in the day asking how it would impact the young immigrants in their care.

He couldn’t answer. Instead he had to turn to others, including a contact at ICE, to figure it out.

“It is, in a lot of ways, much worse than what I had anticipated, much faster than I had anticipated,” Pierce said about the impact the president’s immigration crackdown has had on Colorado. “I was an immigration lawyer during the first Trump administration, and there was just a lot more checks and balances in the system.”

With about 400 cases on his plate through his Denver-based firm Amistad Law, Pierce said he’s seen firsthand how families and communities are being torn apart. He said many have had their legal statuses stripped away, through things like ending Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans – many of whom sought refuge in Colorado. Others, he said, have chosen to go into hiding for fear of being detained when appearing for their asylum interviews.

Pierce, who is a former U.S. Army Reserve service member and whose work receives state funding through the Colorado Refugee Support Program, is one of hundreds of Coloradans polled by CPR News and other outlets in the Colorado News Collaborative who have expressed either complete opposition to or frustration with some of the ways Trump has carried out his campaign promise to close the southern border and reduce the number of undocumented immigrants living in the country.

Since the beginning of the year, the Trump administration has increased immigration raids across U.S. cities, including in Colorado, escalated tactics like sending the National Guard to back up ICE in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and reversed Bidenera policies, including allowing arrests at schools and churches.

What residents in Aurora and across the state are saying about immigration

In the survey circulated by the Aurora Sentinel and other Colorado newsrooms, a majority of the nearly 400 respondents said that, even if they supported some of the president’s stated goals, they opposed some of the immigration enforcement tactics currently being used by federal agents.

Specifically, Coloradans take issue with federal agents violating due process and not focusing on deporting the “worst of the worst” criminals.

• “I have no problem with deporting those convicted of felonies, but ambushing families is despicable,” said a woman in Grand Junction.

• “I am in favor of the overall goal, but I do take issue with some of the practices,” said a man from Broomfield. “Treat people as human beings, even if they are criminals.”

• A man in Durango summarized it like a report card. He gave efforts to close the border an A+, deporting criminals a C-, visa restrictions a D-, the use of Immigration and Customs Enforcement an F and described the use of the National guard as illegal. He said Trump also failed in the area of “Politicalization.”

• “Deport criminals not workers,” said a woman in Durango. ICE tactics like “unmarked cars, civilian clothes, refusal to identify themselves should be eliminated.”

• “It’s a waste of time to deport people contributing to the economy,” said a man in Colorado Springs. “I’m more concerned with the affordability of housing and health care.”

• “The response has been too extreme and brutal,” said a woman in Colorado Springs. “It targets too many law-abiding, legal, U.S. residents, denying due process to detainees.”

Evergreen resident Norman Sherbert said he believed the president was carrying out what he promised to do when elected and correct the previous administration’s actions.

“I’m not here to tell the government how to do their job,” Sherbert elaborated via email. “All I know is that 11 or 12 million illegal immigrants coming into our country, seeing pictures of the masses of people standing at our borders, and hearing of children with-

CPR News and Colorado News Collaborative

Federal law enforcement outside the Cedar Run Apartments, where immigration raids are taking place early Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. Kevin J. Beaty/Denverite

“I have no problem with deporting those convicted of felonies, but ambushing families is despicable.”

out guardianship being used to gain entrance into the U.S. is not good policy. And, in the long run over the next generations, will have a deteriorating effect on our society and way of life.”

Sherbert sees the administration’s extreme measures as a necessary way to right the situation with the limited time and resources it has.

At a flea market in Colorado Springs on a recent weekend, JoAnn Antaya said she believed Trump wanted to help people during his first administration but doesn’t agree with the tactics being used today.

A German-born American who remembered how difficult it was to adjust to a new culture as a child, Antaya believes society has lost its compassion.

“We do not care about our fellow man,” Antaya, 63, said. “So it’s easy to put a wall between here and Mexico because you know what? They have nothing to do with you. Heaven forbid if you should hand them a crust of bread. No, I’m not happy with my country.

“It’s like they’re not compromising. They’re not coming to a happy medium. They’re just combative. And that’s all it is: Argument, argument, argument.”

What the polls say about immigration concerns

Opinion polling suggests how Coloradans feel about immigration has a lot to do with where they live.

A poll from the Colorado Health Foundation released earlier this year looked at top issues facing Coloradans. It surveyed over 2,300 people across the state.

It found that “illegal immigration” was a major concern for about half of the residents surveyed, though the extent of the concern depended on where respondents lived, lower in urban areas (39 percent), versus suburban (58 percent) and rural (65 percent).

Ninety percent of respondents on the Eastern Plains believe illegal immigration is a problem in Colorado compared to 46 percent in Denver metro.

On the flip side, 20 percent of all respondents said the mistreatment of immigrants was an “extremely serious” concern compared to 42 percent of respondents saying it was “not too serious.”

Broken down by region, that concern fluctuated, with 44 percent of urban respondents saying mistreatment is extremely or very serious compared to 30 percent of suburban respondents and 23 percent of rural respondents.

“The regional, the urbanity and the partisanship seemed to really be driving how folks react to those problems and react differently to the two different framings that we tested,” said Lucia Del Puppo, senior vice president with the research firm that conducted the Pulse Poll.

CHF spokesperson Katie Peshek says Pulse Poll findings are shared with policymakers to help them understand the real issues residents are facing and prioritize those concerns.

“With a third of poll respondents pointing to gov-

ernment and politics as the state’s leading challenge, it’s clear that on issues like immigration, the cost of living and housing, Coloradans are ready for real action and solutions,” Peshek said.

Meanwhile, a national Gallup poll released this summer found that only 30 percent of Americans say immigration should be reduced, a position that has shrunk by fifteen points since last year.

But the support for staunching immigration largely falls along party lines, with the poll finding “Republicans are the only group still showing at least plurality support for reducing immigration.”

In a recent national poll of registered voters by the New York Times/Sienna, “51 percent said they thought the government was deporting mostly people who ‘should be deported,’ while 42 percent said the government was deporting the wrong people.”

That poll, too, found respondents wrestling with the administration’s aggressive tactics.

“More than half of voters, 53 percent, think the process of deporting people has not been fair; 44 percent said it was mostly fair,” according to The New York Times.

How Colorado leaders are responding to federal actions

Some Coloradans praised the work of elected officials to stand in the way of federal immigration enforcement.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has used his office’s powers to fight against federal immigration actions, from defending in-state tuition for noncitizen students to suing a sheriff’s deputy for involving ICE in a traffic stop that resulted in the detainment of a college student.

In the spring, state lawmakers passed a bill designed to protect undocumented immigrants from coming to the attention of federal authorities. And over the summer, Colorado’s Democratic members of Congress toured the state’s only immigration facility in Aurora, only to leave with more questions than answers.

“I can personally say after my tenth visit, this has been the most difficult visit in terms of getting information, getting answers out of the facility, out of the employees and being obstructed from conducting a full-water oversight that I’ve had in over six years,” Crow told the Sentinel after the inspection

““What’s very clear nationally is that the vast majority of people that are being detained under President Trump’s mass deportation policies have no criminal records and are oftentimes business owners, family, parents, people who are living and working and contributing to our community”.

Colorado governments are in danger of losing federal funds and the state is being sued by the federal government for so-called sanctuary policies, but Democratic leaders have so far resisted the administration’s pressure campaign, arguing immigration enforcement

is not the state’s problem.

That doesn’t mean inter-agency coordination isn’t happening. Despite state laws strictly limiting when officials can cooperate with ICE requests, state agencies were found to have provided federal immigration officials with Coloradans’ personal information in response to subpoenas several times this year. Those actions by the Polis administration have riled fellow Democrats and immigration advocates.

Looking ahead

Even though state laws prohibit local law enforcement from helping federal agents, targeted immigration raids continue to take place across the state, including outside of metro regions. In the last couple of weeks, local news outlets have reported on an incident in Alamosa where ICE detained a family with a baby inside a vehicle at gunpoint, smashing a car window, and a situation in Routt County where a county commissioner was blocked by ICE vehicles.

For Pierce, it’s not just new policies that have made it difficult for him – or other lawyers – to do this job. He’s seen announcements of immigration court judges resigning or being fired, resulting in longer processing times for cases. Clients are also being transferred to detention facilities out of state, making it hard to connect with their legal counsel and putting them at risk of being deported within days.

“So when it comes to hurting people, the system’s gotten a lot faster. When it’s come to helping people, the system’s gotten a lot slower,” he said.

The majority of Pierce’s cases involve Afghan men who fought alongside the U.S. military during the Afghanistan War and are now waiting to get legal residency. Most of them filed petitions in 2022 or 2023 but still don’t have a court date set. With the reimposition of the so-called Muslim ban by the Trump administration this summer, it has been difficult for them to be reunited with their families. Pierce says these policies betray a promise made by the U.S. government for fighting alongside its troops.

The situation is leaving the men with two options: risk likely death to join their families back home or wait in the U.S, in the hope that their families will eventually be allowed to join them.

It’s gotten so bad that Pierce has found himself for the first time ever advising people to seek asylum in Argentina or Chile. He’s even started to offer powers-of-attorney services so that family or friends with U.S. citizenship can take control of bank accounts and other assets if their loved ones are rapidly deported.

“I’ve dedicated my life to this, but the good legal advice has become, ‘Hide, or go somewhere else.’”

Immigration attorney Nicholas Pierce (right) sits at a table during an Afghan support conference with paralegal Swita Omari in this undated photo.

Courtesy of Nicholas Pierce.

U.S. Rep. Jason Crow speaks alongside, from left, U.S. Reps. Brittany Pettersen, Joe Neguse and Diana DeGette after Colorado officials toured the GEO Group-run ICE detention center in Aurora on Aug. 11, 2025. Sara Wilson/Colorado Newsline

Aurora Residents who donated $1,150, Pam Culig a nurse practitioner gave $740, and family member Karlton Culig, a Aurora Public Schools teacher gave $200.

Contributions include $10,387 from Aurora donors, $2,930 from Denver donors and a few from other Colorado cities and places like Alaska and Missoula, Montana.

Total expenditures so far have been $8,517, with top expenditures being Corazon Printing for $2,775, DSPolitical political advertising for Democrats for $1,540, the Aurora Sentinel for $1,300, Good Guy Signs for $483 and Artist Proof Collective print shop for $456.

Watson Gomes

Watson is unaffiliated running for Aurora City Council at-large.

Watson’s reported contributions came to $660.00, and he donated $100 to his own campaign.

Top and most notable contributors include $300 from Jeffery Brown the manager for Lawrence Construction Company and $100 from Matthew Wasserman the founder and principal at Make Philanthropy Work.

Contributions include $400 from Aurora donors and $300 from Littleton donors.

Total expenditures reported so far have been $110, Bulk Texter Pro for $99.95 and $10 for Good Party LLC.

Ward I

Rev. Reid Hettich

Hettich, an unaffiliated candidate and Aurora pastor, is running for Aurora City Council Ward I.

Total Contributions $20,160 and

in-kind contributions $1,140; $10,658 was left over from a previous mayoral election.

Hettich’s notable contributions include Barb and Kevin Hougen, the former president and CEO of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, each for $450, Tina Sorensen, provided in kind marketing consultant work for for $1,210, and Aurora Planning Commissioner Becky Hogan, the wife of former Republican Mayor Steve Hogan and now a managing member of Edge Consulting $450.

He also received $450 from the Metro Housing Coalition Political Committee.

Contributions include $17,590 from Aurora donors, $950 from Denver donors and $1,200 from South Dakota donors.

Total Expenditures so far have been $15,368 with the top payees being Reid Hettich, Reid4Aurora for $12,892, which includes $1,748 for campaign consultants and Julie Speer, Joseph Fox an Aurora media producer and Tina Hettich Sorensen $277 for marketing and engagement.

Hettich spent $13,342 in Aurora and $1,748 in Salida.

Stephan Elkins

Elkins, an unaffiliated candidate, is running for Aurora City Council Ward I.

His total contributions reported were for $18,765 and in-kind contributions were for $1,107; He donated $1,037 to his own campaign.

Elkins largest contribution was from Jerry Jurinsky, Danielle Jurinsky’s father, who donated $550 to Elkins. Other notable contributions include Jake Zambrano with the 76 Group, a Republican lobbying and political consulting company, contributed $450 and Monica Burton with 76 Group contributed $200. Haselden

Construction had three employees all with the last name Haselden contribute the full $450 to Elkins.

The Metro Housing Coalition Campaign Committee donated $450 and the Realtor Small Donor Committee contributed $1,000.

Contributions include $5,742 from Aurora donors, $4,630 from Denver donors, $3,450 from donors in Littleton and $2,000 from Englewood.

Total expenditures reported so far have been $10,437, with Saratoga Strategies LLC for $5,671, DTC Print Brokers for $906, Blitz Canvassing LLC for $750, Wizbang Solutions a printer and mailer service for $430.

Gianina Horton

Horton, a Democrat, is running for Aurora City Council Ward I.

Total Contributions $18,336 and InKind contributions $453.

Horton’s top and most notable contributors include receiving the capped amount of $450 from Alison Phillips with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Arnold Shultz the president and chair at Recreational Opportunities for Aurora Residents and Kevin Amirehsani Senior Policy Advisor on Tax Policy at Colorado Governor’s Office.

Contributions include $3,284 from Aurora donors, $7,885 from Denver donors and other contributions came from donors in other Colorado cities and $975 from California.

Total Expenditures so far have been $10,405, with the top five payees including Community of Color Organizing civic engagement for $3,373.08, Eye Contact Media LLC a media consultant for $2,500, Artistic Apparel a graphic design company in Aurora for $1,114, Pat Lombardi web and graphic design for $760 and MinuteMan Press for $549.

Ward II candidates

Steve Sundberg

Sundberg, a Republican incumbent city council member in Ward II, received 132 contributions for the capped amount of $450.

Total contributions reported totalled $76,495, and he began his filing from the last election with $4,829. He only had one company that had more than three employees contribute to his campaign. Advantage Security had six employees contribute to Sundberg, totalling $2,700.

Sundberg also had William Parkhill personally donate, and contributions then came from two of his companies, all involved in a 6.8-acre urban renewal project in Aurora called Metro Center, a mixed-use, transit-oriented development parcel LLC for the property, Parcels A, B and C LLC, all of which contributed the highest amount and ultimately contributed $1,350.

Four real estate employees for Marathon Land Company contributed and three employees all with the last name Haselden from Haselden Construction all contributed the full $450 to Sundberg.

Some notable contributions Sundberg received came from a U.S. Senate Republican candidate who lost in 2022 Joseph O’Dea and Celeste O’Dea, Jake Zambrano and former Aurora Councilmember Dustin Zvonek with the 76 Group, and Jake’s wife, Alyssa, who works for The Common Sense Institute, a right-leaning think tank. They all gave the maximum donation allowed.

Sunberg received $15,980 from Aurora donors, $18,580 from Denver donors, $8,930 from Centennial donors, $4,725 from Littleton and the majority of the rest came from donors based in cit-

ies on the Front Range.

Total Expenditures reported were $64,132 with the top five payees being Majority Strategies, a Republican advertising firm for $36,575, Public Relations Services $5,000 in Arizona, Art Works Serigraphy, Inc. screen printing in Aurora for $3,146, Ringside Consulting accounting and finance for $3,000 and Anthem Communication for $2,575.

Sundberg spent $36,575 in Dallas, $3,752 in Aurora, $5,123 in Arizona, $5,000 in Wheat Ridge and $2,260 in Denver.

Amy Wiles

Wiles, a Democrat, is running for Ward II Aurora city council.

Total cash contributions reported were $11,960 and in-kind contributions of $1,871.

Top and Notable contributors include Jacqueline Crockett for $450, Ann Hammell director of Homewatch for $450, Pam Culig, nurse practitioner donated $450 and her family member Karlton donated $250, Arnold Shultz president and chair of Recreational Opportunities for Aurora Residents and Andrew Klien a principle with Westside Investment Partners donated $450 to Wiles and a few other candidates.

Wiles received $9,353 from Aurora donors, $600 from Greenwood Village, $312 from Denver and the rest was spread out from different cities across the Front Range and small amounts from states like Missouri.

Total expenditures so far have been $9,560 with the top payees being Eye Contact Media LLC a media consultant for $3,500, MityMo Creative web design, ecommerce and political campaigns for

›› See METRO, 27

Editorials Sentinel

We should be free to speak, but not to inflict

conversion therapy quackery on kids

When the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Oct. 6 over Colorado’s ban on so-called “conversion therapy,” the justices weren’t just weighing a free speech case. They were weighing the safety and dignity of LGBTQ+ children.

The question at the heart of Chiles v. Colorado isn’t about silencing faith or policing beliefs. It’s about whether states have the right and the responsibility to regulate a practice that has been proven to cause harm. States do have that responsibility. And they must carry it out.

“Conversion therapy,” whether rooted in religion or not, is not therapy. It is a discredited and dangerous attempt to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Every major medical and mental health organization in the United States, including the American Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Medical Association, has rejected it as pseudoscience.

The consensus is unequivocal. There is no credible evidence that conversion therapy can change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. There is, however, abundant evidence of its harms.

A 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Psychiatry found that LGBTQ+ adults who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to attempt suicide as those who had not. The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law reported that 42% of LGBTQ+ youth subjected to the scheme had attempted suicide in the previous year. These are not abstract statistics. They are the reported cases of real children like Ryan Robertson, whose mother, Linda, testified to the high court about the anguish her son suffered after being pressured into therapy to change who he was. He died by suicide at age 20.

Colorado’s law, like similar statutes in more than 20 states, doesn’t criminalize religious beliefs or ban religious counseling. But it does hold licensed mental health providers to professional, evidence-based standards of care.

Despite the chaos created by the new Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior, evidence-based standards of care is the very foundation of science and medicine. Anything else is quackery and potentially deadly.

Colorado’s law prevents such frauds from inflicting practices that the medical community deems unsafe and can prove it. The law does not stop parents, pastors, or individuals from discussing faith, identity, or morality. It only restricts licensed therapists from offering treatments that are known to cause harm, just as states prohibit doctors from prescribing disproven or dangerous drugs.

That distinction matters. Regulation of professional conduct is not “viewpoint discrimination.” It is health care regulation. If a doctor claimed to cure diabetes through prayer alone, the state would have every right to intervene. The same is true for mental health professionals who promise to “cure” a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

The harms of conversion therapy extend far beyond the therapy room. Survivors report long-lasting trauma, anxiety, depression, and a fractured sense of self. Many describe losing trust in family, faith, and the possibility of having a rewarding and successful relationship. A 2020 study published in the “American Journal of Public Health” found that exposure to conversion efforts during adolescence tripled the risk of major depressive disorder in adulthood. These outcomes are not side effects. They are the direct consequences of telling a child that their core identity is broken and must be fixed.

The First Amendment does not grant professionals the right to harm patients in the name of free speech. As Colorado Solicitor General Shannon Stevenson told the high court, “Providers have a duty to act in their patients’ best interest and according to their professional standards. The First Amendment affords no exception.”

It is telling that no one has been sanctioned under Colorado’s 2019 law. The ban is not a crusade; it is a safeguard. It simply sets a floor for ethical practice. In a time when LGBTQ+ youth already face disproportionate rates of bullying, homelessness, and suicide, the least the state can do is ensure that licensed professionals do no further harm.

If the Supreme Court overturns these protections, it will not be expanding freedom. It will be licensing abuse.

The

$9 billion healthcare gorilla

The health insurance industry always seems to win in Washington health care debates.

The most famous example was Obamacare, which transformed from a liberal crusade against insurance companies into a law guaranteeing them new profits, mandating Americans to buy their products, protecting them from competition, and providing hefty subsidies to shift skyrocketing costs onto taxpayers.

More recently, insurers dominated the socalled Inflation Reduction Act. Through the law, they protected the exemption their pharmacy benefit manager subsidiaries use to pocket huge rebates on prescription drugs and extended supersized Obamacare subsidies that flow directly to them. Now, insurance companies have convinced Democrats to shut down the federal government to demand yet another extension of those subsidies, which were supposed to be a temporary COVID-era measure.

If they succeed again, it will probably be because the biggest health insurance company in the country has turned the largest political advocacy group into something close to a wholly owned subsidiary.

I’ve written many times about AARP’s lucrative arrangement with UnitedHealth, in which the latter’s cash cow AARP-branded Medicare plans divert about 5% of premiums to pay “royalties” to AARP. We estimated these payments totaled around $800 million per year, around triple what AARP collects in membership dues. That already made AARP the $800 million gorilla in D.C. health care debates, overwhelmingly supporting Democrats and outcomes favorable to the insurance industry.

Now we have to call them the “$9 Billion Gorilla.” That’s billion with a “b,” or nine thousand million. That’s how much UnitedHealth paid AARP in a one-time payment in 2024. Chris Jacobs of Juniper Research, who closely monitors AARP’s finances, believes the $9 billion payment is an advance on their premium skim, which has been raised again to 5.95% of premiums.

This news comes as seniors in AARP/UnitedHealth plans stare at hefty premium increas-

es. Last year, AARP received 31 times as much money from UnitedHealth as it did from its members. This explains why all of their advocacy work appears to advance insurance industry priorities, even if it means higher prices for seniors.

Even before the incomprehensible $9 billion juicer, the kind of money AARP was collecting in its premium skim was enough to create a political juggernaut, and AARP spent hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising and events that stop just short of urging a vote for a particular candidate but almost always favor elected Democrats and the party’s policy priorities.

Around the Inflation Reduction Act debate, AARP held 94 events for members of Congress with just one favoring a Republican – Senator Mike Crapo, who was cruising to an easy re-election – and the list of Democrats looks curiously like the party campaign committee’s list of vulnerable members.

Somehow, AARP operates this business model while maintaining its non-profit status.

Obviously, Republicans who get crosswise with such a lavishly funded juggernaut face political danger. But ducking and hiding won’t make the $9 billion go away. It’s better to shine a spotlight on the corrupt arrangement, and there is political upside there.

A couple years ago, my organization, American Commitment, commissioned a poll of voters age 55 and older that found 89% are concerned AARP is paid billions in corporate royalties from health insurance corporations like UnitedHealth while lobbying legislators and government officials on related issues. Health care costs are spiraling out of control. We need real solutions that bring more choice and competition, less heavy-handed regulation, and less government spending flowing to the big insurance companies to paper over the problem. That requires exposing AARP for what it is: a de facto subsidiary of UnitedHealth.

Phil Kerpen is the president of American Commitment and the author of “Democracy Denied.” Kerpen can be reached at phil@americancommitment.org.

PHIL KERPEN, GUEST COLUMNIST

81632.

Any interested elector of the District may file any objections to the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget at any time prior to the final adoption of the Proposed Budget or the Amended Budget by the Board.

The agenda for any meeting may be obtained at https://www.wheatlandsmetro. org/ or by calling (303) 858-1800.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS: WHEATLANDS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT, a quasi-municipal corporation and political subdivision of the State of Colorado /s/ WBA, PC

Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED 2026 BUDGETS AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE AMENDED 2025 BUDGETS

The Boards of Directors (collectively the “Boards”) of the FOREST TRACE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1 & 3 (collectively the “Districts”), will hold a public hearing via teleconference on NOVEMBER 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. to consider adoption of the Districts’ proposed 2026 budgets (the “Proposed Budgets”), and, if necessary, adoption of an amendment to the 2025 budgets (the “Amended Budgets”).

The public hearing can be joined using the following teleconference information: https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/83683949031?pwd=bJrYBYrdc35bCzzmdKMDsyXKTwQaN1.1 Meeting ID: 836 8394 9031 Passcode: 038719 Call-in Number: +1-720-707-2699

The Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets are available for inspection by the public at the offices of Simmons & Wheeler, 304 Inverness Way S #490, Englewood, CO 80112.

Any interested elector of the Districts may file any objections to the Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets at any time prior to the final adoption of the Proposed Budgets or the Amended Budgets by the Boards.

The agenda for any meeting may be obtained at https://www.foresttracemetro.org/ or by calling (303) 858-1800.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS: FOREST TRACE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1 & 3, quasi-municipal corporations and political subdivisions of the State of Colorado /s/ WBA, PC Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED 2026 BUDGETS AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE AMENDED 2025 BUDGETS

The Boards of Directors (collectively the “Boards”) of the BUCKLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1-4 (collectively the “Districts”), will hold a public hearing via teleconference on NOVEMBER 4, 2025, at 9:30 A.M. to consider adoption of the Districts’ proposed 2026 budgets (the “Proposed Budgets”), and, if necessary, adoption of an amendment to the 2025 budgets (the “Amended Budgets”).

The public hearing can be joined using the following teleconference information: https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/86544730217?pwd=niGXpHryJ3QAa39UukP6FP6F8ENzll.1 Meeting ID: 865 4473 0217; Passcode: 185160; Call-in Number: 1(720)707-2699

The Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets are available for inspection by the public at the offices of Marchetti & Weaver, 28 Second Street, Suite 213, Edwards, CO 81632.

The agenda for any meeting may be obtained at https://buckleymetrodistrict.com or by calling (303) 858-1800.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS: BUCKLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT

NOS. 1-4, quasi-municipal corporations and political subdivisions of the State of Colorado /s/ WBA, PC

Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE PROPOSED 2026 BUDGETS AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE AMENDED 2025 BUDGETS

The Boards of Directors (collectively the “Boards”) of the SADDLE ROCK SOUTH AUTHORITY (the “Authority”) and the SADDLE ROCK SOUTH METROPOLITAN DISTRICT 2-4 (collectively the “Districts”), will hold a public hearing 6800 S. Liverpool Street, Suite A, Aurora, CO 80016 on November 13, 2025 at 2:30 PM, to consider adoption of the Authority’s and the Districts’ proposed 2026 budgets (collectively, the “Proposed Budgets”), and, if necessary, adoption of amendments to the 2025 budgets (collectively, the “Amended Budgets”).

The Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets are available for inspection by the public at the offices of Simmons & Wheeler, 304 Inverness Way S #490, Englewood, CO 80112.

Any interested elector of the Authority and/ or the Districts may file any objections to the Proposed Budgets and Amended Budgets at any time prior to the final adoption of the Proposed Budgets or the Amended Budgets by the Boards.

The agenda for any meeting may be obtained at https://saddlerocksouthauthority. colorado.gov/ or by calling (303) 858-1800.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARDS OF DI-

RECTORS:SADDLE ROCK SOUTH AUTHORITY AND SADDLE ROCK SOUTH METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 2-4, quasi-municipal corporations and political subdivisions of the State of Colorado /s/ WBA, PC

Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel

NOTICE OF VACANCY ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF EASTERN HILLS METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 23

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Eastern Hills Metropolitan District No. 23 (the“District”), City of Aurora, Arapahoe County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 32-1-808, C.R.S., that one or more vacancies currently exist on the Board of Directors of the District. Any qualified, eligible elector of the District interested in serving on the Board of Directors for the District should file a Letter of Interest with the Board by 5:00 p.m., on November 10, 2025.

Letters of Interest should be sent to Eastern Hills Metropolitan District No. 23, c/o WBA, PC, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122.

EASTERN HILLS

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NO. 23

By: /s/ WBA, PC

Attorneys at Law

Publication: October 30, 2025

Sentinel

NOTICE OF VACANCY

ON THE BOARDS OF DIRECTORS OF EASTERN HILLS METROPOLITAN

DISTRICT NOS. 1, 21 & 22

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, and particularly to the electors of the Eastern Hills Metropolitan District Nos. 1, 21 & 22 (each a “District”), City of Aurora, Arapahoe County, Colorado.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, pursuant to Section 32-1-808, C.R.S., that one or more vacancies currently exist on the Boards of Directors of the Districts. Any qualified, eligible elector of the Districts interested in serving on the Boards of Directors for the Districts should file a Letter of Interest with the Boards by 5:00 p.m., on November 10, 2025.

Letters of Interest should be sent to Eastern Hills Metropolitan District Nos. 1, 21 & 22, c/o WBA, PC, 2154 E. Commons Ave., Suite 2000, Centennial, CO 80122.

EASTERN HILLS

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOS. 1, 21 & 22

By: /s/ WBA, PC

Attorneys at Law

Publication: October 30, 2025

Sentinel

Public Notice INVITATION TO BID PRONGHORN VALLEY METROPOLITAN DISTRICT –POMEROY FILING 4

The Pronghorn Valley Metropolitan District (District) will receive bids via electronic submission at the address noted below, until 2:00 P.M (MDT), November 7, 2025. Promptly thereafter, all bids that have been duly received will be opened and reviewed by the District. All interested parties are invited to bid. The District reserves the right to reject any bidder as not qualified, reject any and all bids, waive irregularity in the bidding, or accept responsive and responsible bids, as the best interests of the District may be served, said determination to be made in the sole discretion of the District. Bids received after the specified bid time will not be accepted.

The Project Site is located at the northeast corner of South Aurora Parkway and Elk Way in Aurora, Colorado. The Work to be bid generally includes the following construction activities:

Site Prep Including Erosion Control Road Grading Road OverEx Water, Sanitary Sewer and Water Installation Curb, Gutter, Sidewalk, Asphalt Signage & Striping Street Lights

Bids shall be submitted only by qualified contractors with recognized expertise in providing “turn-key” services for public sector clients, on the basis of the District’s Bid Form. The District will review bids based upon all Bid Schedules and select a bid based upon criteria deemed to be in the District’s best interest.

The Bid Documents, which include the District’s Bid Form and Contract Documents for use in preparing bids, can be obtained from the District’s project consultant, Tahoe Land Services, by contacting CJ Kirst at [cjkirst@tahoelandservices.net].

A mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held virtually on November 4, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. (MDT). In order to attend the Pre-Bid

Conference, bidders shall email the Project Consultant to receive the meeting invite at least 24-hours before the Pre-Bid Conference.

All bids shall be emailed to cjkirst@tahoelandservices.net no later than 2:00 P.M (MDT), November 7, 2025. A Bid Bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the total Bid amount will be required.

The Bid Bond will be retained by District as liquidated damages should the Successful Bidder fail to enter into a Contract with the District in accordance with the Bid. The bidder to whom a Contract is awarded will be required to furnish a 100% Performance Bond and 100% Material and Labor Payment Bond guaranteeing Contractor’s full and faithful performance. Proof of Worker’s Compensation and Liability Insurance will also be required. Retainage will be withheld. All insurance policies shall name the District as an additional insured. For all further requirements regarding bid submittal, qualifications, procedures, and contract award, refer to the Instructions to bidders that are included in the Bid Documents.

No bids may be withdrawn within a period of sixty (60) days after the date the bids are submitted.

Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

ParadigmOne is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide General Contractor Preconstruction Services for an upcoming development project.

Interested parties may request the full RFP by emailing Cathy@BeauxSimone.com.

Proposals are due by November 14, 2025.

Publication: October 30, 2025

Sentinel

SOUTHSHORE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT NOTICE CONCERNING 2024 BUDGET AMENDMENT AND PROPOSED 2025 BUDGET

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the SOUTHSHORE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT (the “District”), will hold a meeting via Zoom on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 6:00 P.M., for the purpose of conducting such business as may come before the Board including a public hearing on the 2026 proposed Budget (the “Proposed Budget”). The necessity may also arise for an Amendment to the 2025 Budget (the “Amended Budget”). This meeting can be joined using the following teleconference information: https://zoom.us/j/83363595443

Or join by phone: (719) 359-4580 Meeting ID: 833 6359 5443

NOTICE IS FURTHER GIVEN that the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget (if applicable) have been submitted to the District. A copy of the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget are on file at the District’s office, 7555 E. Hampden Ave., Suite 501, Denver, Colorado, where the same are open for public inspection. Any interested elector of the District may file any objections to the Proposed Budget and Amended Budget at any time prior to final adoption of the Proposed Budget or the Amended Budget by the Board.

SOUTHSHORE

METROPOLITAN DISTRICT By /s/ AJ Beckman District Manager

Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR432

Estate of Mildred Ione Culp, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before March 2, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

Trudy DeBell

Personal Representative 24617 E. Florida Ave. Aurora, CO 80018

First Publication: October 30, 2025

Final Publication: November 13, 2025

Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR561

Estate of Bruce Walter Bennion aka Bruce W. Bennion aka Bruce Bennion, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 27, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred. Chloe Bennion

Personal Representative 5564 E. Custer Place Denver, CO 80246

First Publication: October 30, 2025

Final Publication: November 13, 2025

Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case Number 2025PR462

Estate of Rozalia Horvath, Deceased. All persons having claims against the above-named estate are required to present them to the personal representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before February 17, 2026, or the claims may be forever barred.

James John Horvath

Personal Representative

c/o Scott Grosscup Balcomb & Green, PC PO Drawer 790 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602

First Publication: October 16, 2025

Final Publication: October 30, 2025 Sentinel

NOTICE TO CREDITORS BY PUBLICATION

PURSUANT TO §15-12-801, C.R.S. Case No. 2025PR30114

Estate of Henry John Pobuda, Deceased.

All persons having claims against the above-named the estate are require to required to present them to the Personal Representative or to the District Court of Arapahoe County, Colorado, on or before April 10, 2025, or the claims may be forever barred.

Attorney for Personal Representative Lisa Reina - Secretary Erich C. Lang Law Office of E. Christopher Lang, P.C. Atty

Puzzles

›› METRO, from 16

$2,287, Good Guys Signs for $1,574, Minuteman Press for $899 and Good Party LLC a political technology organization for $392.

Wiles spent $958 in Aurora, $3,500 in California for Eye Contact Media and $3,862 in Florida for MityMo and Good Guys.

Ward III candidates

Rueben Medina

Medina, is a Democrat, incumbent city council member for Ward III, and all contributions reported came from the Committee to Elect Ruben Medina.

Total cash contributions reported were for $20,221 and in-kind contributions of $300.

Top and Notable contributors include Andrew Klien with Westside for $450, Arnold Shultz president and chair at Recreational Opportunities for Aurora Residents, Donna Flansburg, Jessica Alizadeh realtor, Rita Connerly real estate attorney at Fairfield and Woods, Daniel Green with JAGreen Development LLC and Fred Marvel with Brannan Sand and Gravel.

Medina received $7,781 from Aurora donors, $5,620 from Denver, $1,850 from Littleton, $1,250 from Greenwood Village, $850 from Walsenburg Colorado and other Colorado cities and some states including Nevada.

Total expenditures so far have been $5,208 with the top payees being Corazon Printing for $2,486, Azul Strategies for $800.00, Minuteman Press Aurora for $580, Bumble Tea for $524 and L2,Inc. for $478.

Medina spent $1,332 in Aurora, $2,486 in Broomfield and $800 in Virginia.

Marsha Berzins

Berzins, is a Republican and a former city council member, currently running for Ward II Aurora City Council.

Contributions reported so far come to $31,839, with $6,116 from a previous run for Aurora City Council. She also contributed $3,000 to her own campaign and received $450.00 in in kind contributions.

Top and most notable contributions include Vic, Sharon, Ryan and Rachel Evans for $450 each. Vic Evans is a principle for Advantage Security. Donations included James Spehalski, of Marathon Land Company for $450, and local housing developers Carla Ferreira for $450, Michael Sheldon $450 and Peter Mueller for $450. Metro Housing Coalition also contributed $450, and the Realtor Small Donor Committee donated $1,000.

Contributions include $10,758 from Aurora donors, $6,419 from Denver donors, $3,492 from Centennial, $2,354 from Englewood, $2,926 from Littleton and she received the majority of her remaining contributions from cities that surround Aurora.

Total Expenditures reported so far have been $9,860, with the top payees being DTC Print Brokers for $5,341, Blitz Canvas for $1,250, 303 Creative for $1,650 and Bridger Carson Consultants for $500.

Berzins spent $401 in Aurora, $5,341 in Centennial for DTC Brokers, $1,750 in Denver and 1,812 in Littleton.

— Cassandra Ballard, Sentinel Staff Writer